Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530530
5 4 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M ited Penn State six times leading up to his commitment. O'Hara holds a three-star rating from On3. He's the 70th-ranked tight end nationally and No. 24 overall prospect in Pennsylvania. Andrew Olesh TE | 6-5 | 210 | Center Valley, Pa. Penn State picked up a major addition to its class just before the early sign- ing period concluded, flipping Olesh, the nation's second-ranked tight end, away from Michigan on Dec. 6. Listed by On3 as the No. 43 overall prospect in the 2025 cycle and No. 1 player in Penn- sylvania, Olesh became the top-ranked member of Penn State's class. When he earned an offer from the Nittany Lions in June 2023, many ex- pected the Southern Lehigh prospect to be part of the class early on. He took official visits to Alabama, Florida, Michigan and Penn State in June. The Wolverines secured his commitment in early July, but the Nittany Lions kept plugging away, hosting him for an un- official visit on Nov. 2. Two more of- ficial visits, to Notre Dame and Oregon, left many wondering about his ultimate destination. In the end, he and his fam- ily were won over by the consistency of tight ends coach Ty Howle throughout the process. During his senior season, Olesh to- taled 75 receptions for 1,105 yards and 10 touchdowns. He finished his high school career with 156 catches for 2,354 yards and 22 touchdowns. Matt Outten WR | 6-1 | 205 | Portsmouth, Va. You won't find many players whose recruitment was as quiet as Outten's. Penn State was the third Power Four program to offer him back in November 2023, and while a host of other schools followed in early 2024, it always felt as if Outten was likely to stay close to home. After official visits to Penn State, Maryland and Virginia Tech, the I.C. Norcom prospect surprised many when he committed to Virginia Tech on July 1. But Outten was also a top target for Penn State's staff throughout, which is why they never stopped pursuing him. Those efforts paid off in early Septem- ber when he announced his flip to the Nittany Lions. While Outten holds a three-star rat- ing from On3, he's a four-star prospect in the Industry Ranking, coming in at No. 267 nationally and fifth overall in Virginia. Outten totaled 28 receptions for 641 yards and 4 touchdowns during the 2024 regular season. He plans to enroll at Penn State in January. Lyrick Samuel WR | 6-4 | 170 | Brooklyn, N.Y. Samuel earned an offer from Penn State in May 2023. By that point, the Erasmus Hall standout had already vis- ited with the staff three times, but it was his camp performance in June of that year that took him from an intriguing prospect to one of the staff's top targets in the class. Michigan State, Rutgers, Syracuse and West Virginia all showed interest, but seven visits to Penn State in 10 months put the Nittany Lions in the driver's seat to ultimately earn his commitment in February 2024. Samuel holds a four-star rating from On3. He's the No. 43 wide receiver in the country and the No. 1 prospect in New York for his class. Injuries derailed his senior season, but he totaled 27 recep- tions for 693 yards and 11 touchdowns as A Late Addition Bolsters Penn State's Tight End Corps Penn State fans wanted some drama down the stretch. On Dec. 6, the final day of the early signing period, they got exactly that. Elite tight end prospect Andrew Olesh of Center Valley, Pa., announced that he was headed to Penn State, ending a recruiting process that included a verbal commitment to Michigan, visits to Alabama, Florida and Oregon, and finally a decision to remain in his home state for his college football career. Olesh explained that his connection with tight ends coach Ty Howle and head coach James Franklin was a deciding factor. He said he believed Franklin was putting the pieces in place to compete for championships in the coming years. "I really do think he's a great guy," Olesh told On3's EJ Holland. "A lot of people have opinions on him, but I think he's got what it takes to take Penn State to the next level. I mean, they're top three in the country right now. Beating Ohio State, beating Michigan, I feel like he's got what it takes to take it to the next level. We just need guys like me who can go to Penn State and produce." Another factor in Olesh's decision was the success that senior tight end Tyler Warren has been enjoying this season. Operating in an offense designed by first-year coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, Warren is the second-leading receiver in the Big Ten, with 88 catches for 1,062 yards. "I think Coach Kotelnicki is really unique with the way he uses tight ends," Olesh said. "You could see it in the USC game. Tyler Warren snapped the ball and caught a pass at the same time. … Tyler Warren is the best tight end in college football right now. I think the stats just prove it." Olesh, who amassed 156 catches for 2,354 yards and 22 touchdowns in his career at Southern Lehigh, is set to enroll at Penn State in January. He's the top-ranked player in PSU's class, coming in at No. 43 nationally and No. 1 in Pennsylvania according to On3, but he knows there's plenty of work ahead. "The big thing I need to get better at is blocking," he said. "So, just getting to Penn State early, getting on that nutrition plan and getting worked by Coach Howle [will be important]. I think block- ing comes with putting on weight, putting on muscle, getting on that nutrition plan early, getting with Coach Howle on blocking drills and just working my ass off." — Ryan Snyder Andrew Olesh, On3's No. 43 prospect nationally, became the highest-rated player in Penn State's class when he flipped his commitment from Michigan on Dec. 6. PHOTO BY SEAN FITZ